Guillermina has been working with us for over two years. She started working with her mother and her 2 sisters.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!To give Guillermina a boost and to help her grow her network of artisans and production quantity, last year we set a productions goal of 300 pieces to complete over 365 days.
This meant she would have to find a way to expand from 4 people to at least 10, which was no easy feat.
Guillermina would have to have to find the right artisans and learn to manage people outside of her community.
As a reward for reaching her goal, we promised her a washing machine to save her time from hand washing her family’s laundry.
Here is her journey.
My name is Guillermina Sijuana Epiayu, I am an artisan and I work in the commercialization of Wayuu bags. I am from Uribia. I have been working with you for a little bit over two years.
HOW’S IT BEEN WORKING WITH US?
I have learned to be responsible with customers and I have learned, well we have learned (because we are group of women who are head of their household) we have all learned that we have to be organized in order to deliver what the customers ask for. Like this we can continue to work. Quality is also very important because our customers expect high-quality products. They are very demanding and they want quality designs, the colors they ask for and products that are well made.
Above all they want quality delivered on time. When they ask for something in one month, it means one month.
It has been a continuous learning because at the beginning we weren’t like this. We were a little bit unorganized but with time we’ve learned to organize ourselves, organize the people who we work with and how long they are going to take to deliver orders on time.
HOW HAVE YOU GROWN PERSONALLY?
I have learned to value my work, I have learned to value my own craft, because even if you have customers that are willing to pay a fair trade you have to give value to your own work. I have also learned to be responsible, because I have had to work with customers and when you are responsible you are able to build trust. But if you’re not responsible, they might not order from you again.
I have also learned to become more organized, on a certain day I have to meet with the artisans, see how they are doing, and what they need to improve on. Organization has been key for teamwork.
HOW DID YOU LEARN TO CROCHET?
I learned to crochet with my mom who taught me at the age of eight or nine-years old. There I did my first stitches to create very simple pieces with no designs. Later in school I improved my craft. I studied in a monks school and in my school there were Wayuu artisans and thanks to them I improved my crochet and the quality of my work.
When I graduated high school I also kept on crocheting and here I am today still working on my craft.
WHAT DOES CROCHETING MEAN TO YOU?
Crocheting is a part of me, it is a part of my identity, of my culture and a part of me as a Wayuu woman and artisan.
WALK US THROUGH A NORMAL DAY
I wake up at 4 a.m. to get my children ready for school. The first thing I do is organize, after I go ahead and prepare their breakfast. I have a 7 year-old girl who I have to get ready, brush her hair, check her schedule and around 6:30 am when they are at school, I start cleaning my home, the patio, the bedroom, I have to organize their mess and their clothes. Once I am finished I get ready because I attend to my shop until 5:00 pm.
Sometimes I will also have work at night.
And when I have to do laundry, because I also have to wash the children’s clothes, I try to arrive home early. If I have too much work I leave it for the weekend and I spent about half a day cleaning my children’s clothes and mine, everything by hand!
Thank you so much for the washing machine. Now that I have it I know that I will be able to save time.
SIDENOTE: Today, Guillermina has been able to maintain her operation to 12 artisans and has increased her production capacity to 300-400 bags per year.
She has made contact with over 30 artisans in the past year, and at the end of 2019 she was able to travel to the capital to sell and showcase her pieces at the largest artisan trade show in Colombia.
Goal accomplished!
It’s thanks to you that we are able to do the work we do!
And to give back to the hard working women that deserve it.
Thank you for your continuous love and support.